Philip Lawson (composer)

Philip Lawson (composer)
Philip Lawson (born 19 February 1957) is a British composer and arranger, mostly of a cappella and sacred music. For 18 years he was a baritone with the King's Singers and the group's principal arranger for the last fifteen years of that period. In 2009 the group's album "Simple Gifts", on which Lawson arranged 10 out of 15 tracks, won the Grammy award for "Best Classical Crossover Album". In February 2012, he left the King's Singers to concentrate on his writing career.
Background
Philip Lawson was born in Crawley, West Sussex, England, and attended Hazelwick School. He was not from a musical family but a chance meeting introduced him to the boys' choir of Worth Church which sparked his interest in music. He went on to study music at the University of York under Wilfrid Mellers and to sing counter-tenor in the choir of York Minster, under Francis Jackson.
Singing career
Lawson switched from counter-tenor to baritone in 1978 at the age of 21. He moved to London upon graduating and worked for 3 years as a soloist and with choirs including The BBC Singers, The Taverner Choir, Opera Rara and the choirs of St. Paul's Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, and Southwark Cathedral.
From 1982 to 1993, Lawson was a Lay Clerk in Salisbury Cathedral Choir under Richard Seal and from 1989 was Director of Music of Chafyn Grove Preparatory School. During this time he also performed many times with The Sixteen, the English Concert and CM90, and worked as pianist and arranger for a local dance band.
In June 1993, Lawson successfully auditioned for the part of second baritone with The King's Singers, replacing founder-member Simon Carrington. In 1996 he volunteered to fill the vacancy for first baritone, and continued to sing this part until his departure in February 2012.
Composing and arranging
Lawson contributed over 50 arrangements to the repertoire of The King's Singers. He has 10 arrangements on the group's Grammy winning album "Simple Gifts", recorded in 2008 at the studio of Status Quo lead guitarist Francis Rossi.
Nominations
In 2000, Lawson was nominated for a Grammy for Best Classical Crossover Album "Circle Of Life" (Kiss From A Rose; Kokomo; It Had To Be You, Etc.) (Album). Eight years later in 2008, he won a Grammy with the album "Simple Gifts" winning for Best Classical Crossover Album at the Grammy Award Ceremony held in Los Angeles in February 2009.
Lawson also wrote the lyrics to "Born on a New Day", the highly successful Christmas version of the King's Singers best-selling hit arrangement of "You are the New Day".
Lawson is also a composer of choral music in his own right with more than two hundred published works, and has a busy schedule of commissions from choirs and a cappella groups. Most of his works are in print with Hal Leonard Corporation in the US, but he also has works published by OUP, Schott Music, Boosey and Hawkes, Walton Music, Peters Edition, The Lorenz Corporation, Morningstar Music, Pavane Publications, Alliance Music, Banks Music, Alfred Music, Encore Publications and Schoolplay Productions.
Conducting
Since September 2016 Philip Lawson has been musical director of The Romsey Singers, a chamber choir based in Romsey, near Southampton, and in 2021 was appointed Co-Conductor of The Farrant Singers, a chamber choir in Salisbury founded by Richard Lloyd in 1958.
Teaching
Philip Lawson teaches choral singing, composing and arranging, working with choirs and a cappella groups in Europe and the US, and on an individual basis with young composers and arrangers. He is on the staff of the Vocal Departments of Wells Cathedral specialist music school and the University of Bristol. In 2014 and 2016, he was one of two lecturers at the European Seminar For Young Composers held in Aosta, Italy, sponsored by the Italian national choral foundation Feniarco, and by Europa Cantat. He has been described by Choir & Organ magazine as a "choral polymath".
Discography
Philip Lawson appears on all King's Singers recordings from 1993 to 2012:
As second baritone
English Renaissance
Sermons and Devotions
Ligeti Nonsense Madrigals (part of the Sony Complete Ligeti collection)
Spirit Voices (includes guest artists Bruce Johnston, Mike Love, Midge Ure, Dewey Bunnell, Gerry Beckley and James Warren)
As first baritone
CDs
Runnin' Wild (as guests of the Boston Pops Orchestra, conductor Keith Lockhart)
Circle of Life (with the Metropol Orchestra, conductor Carl Davis) – Grammy nomination 2000
Nightsong (with pianist Roger Vignoles)
Streetsongs (with percussionist Evelyn Glennie)
Firewater (with Andrew Lawrence-King and the Harp Consort)
Music of the Beatles (with the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, conductor Erich Kunzel)
The Triumphs of Oriana
Christmas
Gesualdo Tenebrae Responsories
Treason and Dischord (with Concordia)
Sacred Bridges (with Sarband Ensemble)
Spem in Alium
The Quiet Heart
Landscape and Time
The Golden Age
Simple Gifts – Grammy win 2009 – Best Crossover album
Live at the BBC Proms
Reflections
Romance du Soir
From the Heart
Pachelbel Vespers (with Charivari Ensemble)
Swimming over London
In this quiet moment
Christmas Oratorio (with the WDR Big Band)
Joy to the world
High Flight
Light and Gold (with Eric Whitacre) – Grammy win 2012
Royal Rhymes and Rounds
DVDs
A workshop video
From Byrd to the Beatles (live at Cadogan Hall)
Live at the BBC Proms – Midem award 2010 – Best Concert DVD
Joy to the world
References
External links
Philip Lawson official website
Gard Books website
The King's Singers website
Romsey Singers website
1957 births
Living people
Alumni of the University of York
British composers
British male singers
People educated at Hazelwick School
People from Crawley
The King's Singers members